1. What "Insurance verified" means
A pro with this badge uploaded a certificate of general liability insurance, and a person on our team reviewed it and approved it. The badge shows the date through which the certificate is valid.
That is all it means. We reviewed a document that was current on the date we approved it. We did not review the policy itself, and the badge is not a recommendation of the pro.
2. How we review a certificate
- The pro uploads a certificate (PDF, PNG, or JPEG) and enters the carrier, policy number, coverage type, per-occurrence limit, and expiry date. Our minimum for general liability is $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- A person reviews the document against what the pro entered and against our minimum. They may contact the carrier or agent. We also look for files and policy details that another account has submitted.
- If the certificate is approved, the badge appears and stays until the expiry date. If it is not approved, we tell the pro why.
- We email the pro 30 days and 7 days before expiry. When a certificate expires, the badge is removed. The pro cannot unlock new leads until a current certificate is approved, once any signup grace period has ended (14 days, and none for roofing, plumbing, HVAC, or electrical).
- Files for rejected or expired certificates are deleted 30 days later. See the Privacy Policy.
3. What the badge does not mean
- It is not a guarantee that a policy is in force today. A policy can be cancelled or change after we review the certificate.
- It is not a promise that the insurance would cover a particular job, loss, or claim, or that the insurer can pay.
- It says nothing about whether the pro is licensed, skilled, honest, or does good work.
- It does not mean that HireHelpers employs, supervises, endorses, or stands behind the pro.
4. What we do not check
We do not check, and nothing on HireHelpers should be read as saying we checked:
- licenses. A "License on file" mark on a profile means the pro typed a license number. We do not look it up or confirm that it is valid, current, or for the work you need;
- workers' compensation. A pro may upload a certificate and we may keep it on file, but we do not verify that workers' compensation coverage is in force or whether the law requires it for that pro, and we show no badge for it;
- bonds or any insurance other than general liability;
- criminal records or background. We do not run background checks;
- identity beyond confirming that the person controls the email address on the account and, where a phone number is verified, that phone number;
- work history, qualifications, training, or references;
- the accuracy of reviews, other than as the Review Policy describes.
Some profiles show a "Verified" mark. Our team sets that mark by hand. It is not a license check, background check, or recommendation. A "Phone verified" mark means that someone with access to the phone number entered a code we sent. It does not show who that person is.
5. How to check a pro yourself
- Ask for the license number for your trade and check it with your state licensing board, if your state licenses that work.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer or agent named on it to confirm that the policy is active. If workers will be at your home, ask about workers' compensation.
- Get more than one quote, read reviews with the Review Policy in mind, and ask for references.
- Get the scope, price, schedule, and warranty in writing before work starts, and be careful about paying large amounts up front.
6. If a badge looks wrong
Tell us at [email protected] with a link to the profile. If we find that a badge is not accurate, we remove it. Pros can read how to keep their badge current in the Pro Agreement.